Officers in metro Atlanta are undergoing additional training after the manufacturer of Tasers issued a warning for police to no longer stun people in the chest.
Last week, Taser International issued a training bulletin to all law enforcement, warning officers that using the 50,000-volt stun gun could result in an “adverse cardiac event” when shot in the chest.
The Taser company recommends officers shoot in the back, abdomen or thigh. The company tells officers to avoid shots to the chest, face and neck, according to a statement from the company.
Law enforcement in Atlanta, Gwinnett and Clayton County said they are in the process of scheduling training for their officers who carry Tasers.
“It won’t be a huge change. It’s a difference of a few inches,” said Sgt. Tony Kessler, a training officer for the Clayton County Sheriff. “We still have the back and other parts of the body.”
Gwinnett Police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli said the Taser manufacturer only “recommended aiming lower towards the abdominal region,” but said the 279 officers who have Tasers will be retrained.
Cobb County Police are already ahead of the game, spokesman Officer Joe Hernandez said. Cobb’s 100 Tasers are carried by only veteran patrol officers, the Tactical Team, Burglary Apprehension Team and robbery interdiction squad.
“We have been training to shoot in the abdomen area all along,” he said. “The chest area can be sensitive. We want to get the max from the tool by getting the upper and lower body involved. The abdomen allows for full incapacitation.”
The incapacitation only lasts about five seconds. That usually gives officers enough time to handcuff an unruly suspect or get backup, Kessler said.
There have been more than 400 deaths in the U.S. and 26 in Canada since 2001, according to a study by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Tasers have contributed to more than 30 of those deaths, according to medical examiners.
Three of those occurred in the Gwinnett County jail after deputies used a Taser on combative inmates. Autopsies showed two of those deaths were the result of heart attacks, but did not cite what caused the cardiac arrest. The other death was ruled the result of “excited delirium” – a combination of cocaine, alcohol and physical exertion that excited his heart too much, according to the medical examiner.
A spokeswoman for the Gwinnett sheriff said Taser International's training bulletin has already been sent out to all of the deputies who carry Tasers.
"All future training will have it incorporated too," sheriff's spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais said Thursday.
Gwinnett Police said they have not had any heart problems since the department started using Tasers in 2003.
Taser International insists that the stun guns only pose a low risk of an cardiac arrest. The October announcement is the first time the company has ever said Tasers could cause heart problems.
The company said the change in shooting area has more to do with risk management than safety. The company said that they and law enforcement agencies have faced lawsuits accusing the Taser of causing heart attacks.
Despite the warning, area law enforcement said they still plan to carry Tasers.
“They’re the best less lethal option we have,” Kessler said. “The baton requires us to get extremely close to the bad guy and OC spray has a lot of potential environmental hazards. The Taser is safer for the officer and the bad guy.”
Most departments require officers to be stunned before being allowed to carry a Taser. In DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton, officers have annual Taser training where they review best practices and possible legal problems.
Most departments also require paramedics be dispatched any time a Taser is deployed, Kessler said.
While officers are trained to remove the Taser’s prongs, Kessler said he always recommend an EMT be on scene.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said they are aware of the Taser recommendations, but had not received anything official from the manufacturer.
“I’m sure we’ll be taking special precautions in light of the information we do have,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Mikki Jones said Thursday.
Twelve street deputies and eight fugitive investigators carry Tasers in DeKalb. Another six Tasers are housed in the jail, but can only be accessed by supervisors, Jones said.
Fulton County Police are still reviewing the new Taser recommendations, but only about 20 of the force's 130 officers carry Tasers, spokesman Cpl. Scott McBride said.
DeKalb Police said they do not carry Tasers. Atlanta Police said only their SWAT officers carry Tasers, but they will adjust their training.
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